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enHamzaoglu replaces Prandelli at Galatasaray​Galatasaray have appointed Turkey assistant Hamza Hamzaoglu as their new coach following Cesare Prandellis departure from the club.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/hamzaoglu-replaces-prandelli-galatasaray
The Istanbul outfitsacked Prandelli on Friday, the former Italy boss paying the price for inconsistent performances that have seen Gala eliminated from European competition.
Gala sit bottom of UEFA Champions League Group D following a 2-0 defeat to Anderlecht last week that ended any hope of a place in the Europa League.
Despite losing three league games this term, Gala are well placed to compete for a 20th Super Lig title and will hope that Hamzaoglu can inspire them to that achievement.
"I am in a place that I can call 'my home'," he told the club's official website.
"I am very happy to be here again. I'm proud of to have this important mission.
"Thanks to everyone who wanted me to come to this club. We will fight to win for every game.
"We want to achieve the goals step by step.
"Also I want to thank [Turkey coach] Fatih Terim and [Turkish Football Federation president] Yildirim Demiroren. They supported me for this position."
The 44-year-old won two Super Lig crowns as a player with Gala and has already enjoyed success in his managerial career, guiding Akhisar Belediyespor to promotion to the top flight in 2012.
Hamzaoglu's first game in charge comes against Akhisar – who he left in June - when they visit the Turk Telecom Arena on Saturday.
news_articleMon, 01 Dec 2014 14:24:48 +0000297443 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comGalatasaray confirm sacking of PrandelliGalatasaray have confirmed the sacking of head coach Cesare Prandelli.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/prandelli-axed-galatasaray
The 57-year-old only took over the Istanbul club after failing to get Italy out of the group stages of this year's World Cup, but has now been relieved of his duties after an underwhelming November.
Galatasaray have lost three of their four games in all competitions this month, and sit third in the Turkish Super Lig and rock bottom of their UEFA Champions League group.
They have collected just a point from five Champions League matches, and their 2-0 reverse at Anderlecht on Wednesday ended any hopes of qualifying for the Europa League.
Prandelli incurred the wrath of club vice-president Hamdi Yasaman after last Saturday's 3-0 home defeat toTrabzonspor, with the coach's decision to leave star player Wesley Sneijder on the bench met with public criticism.
And after increased speculation in Italy on Thursday, Galatasaray finally announced Prandelli's dismissal a day later with a brief statement on their official website.
"Team Technical Director MrCesare Prandelli's contract has been terminated," it read.
news_articleFri, 28 Nov 2014 17:52:34 +0000295628 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comPrandelli puts positive spin on Galatasaray lossCesare Prandelli refused to be too downbeat despite a 4-1 defeat at Borussia Dortmund dashing Galatasaray's Champions League hopes.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/prandelli-puts-positive-spin-galatasaray-loss
After Marco Reus and Sokratis Papastathopoulos scored for Dortmund, Hakan Balta's header briefly gave the Turkish outfit hope of a comeback.
But Ciro Immobile's breakaway strike and an unfortunate Semih Kaya own goal ended such thoughts.
Prandelli still felt his team put up a better display than when losing 4-0 to the same opponents in Istanbul.
"When you look at our performance, it wasn't a fair result," said the former Italy manager.
"The guys worked very hard and, compared to the first game in Istanbul, we have improved.
"We conceded the goals because of some small mistakes, but we'll get better in time."
Prandelli explained that striker Burak Yılmaz, who scored Galatasaray's goals in the 1-1 draw with Anderlecht and a 4-1 loss at Arsenal, was dropped to the bench for tactical reasons and due to a slight ankle injury.
The visitors must also now wait to see if UEFA impose any sanctions on them after the match twice had to be halted briefly due to away fans throwing flares onto the pitch.
news_articleTue, 04 Nov 2014 23:06:31 +0000281412 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comPrandelli heaps praise on Klopps good ideasGalatasaray coach Cesare Prandelli lavished praise on Borussia Dortmund counterpart Jurgen Klopp ahead of the UEFA Champions League clash.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/prandelli-hails-klopps-good-ideas
Prandelli's team will visit Dortmund on Tuesday looking to bounce back from their 4-0 thumping at the hands of Klopp's side on the last matchday a fortnight ago.
Galatasaray sit bottom of Group D after three games with just one point, while Dortmund are perfect - nine points after three straight victories.
Prandelli believes Klopp is a rare coach in that he has achieved success by playing positive, possession-based attacking football.
"Borussia Dortmund are the perfect example of a how well a team can work when a coach has got good ideas," the Italian said on Monday.
"He is a coach that proved that good ideas and thinking about the way to play football can be successful.
"We know what we can do and we know what fans are expecting from us. We will try our best to trouble Dortmund and work hard for every ball."
Galatasaray came from behind to defeat Kasimpasa 2-1 on Friday with Umut Bulut scoring the winner in second-half stoppage time, ending a two-game losing streak for Prandelli's team.
Following their big loss to Dortmund, Galatasaray had lost 4-0 again in the Turkish Super Lig, going down to local rivals Istanbul Basaksehir.
Galatasaray dropped Blerim Dzemaili and Wesley Sneijder to the bench for the Kasimpasa match, prompting the latter's agent to slam Prandelli in the Turkish media.
But Prandelli refused to discuss Sneijder's chances of playing in Germany.
"It is not important who is going to play and start this match. Every player must bring their support, their enthusiasm and their fighting spirit to this game," the Italian coach said.
"On Sunday I made three changes to my line-up. The nature of this game means everybody must be ready because we will need everybody to be ready to play."
news_articleTue, 04 Nov 2014 03:50:57 +0000281069 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comGalatasaray brush off continental defeatBoth Cesare Prandelli and Selcuk Inan emphasised Galatasarays priority is to win their domestic title after their 4-0 loss to Borussia Dortmund.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/galatasaray-brush-continental-defeat
An early brace from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang set up Dortmund's comprehensive 4-0 win over Galatasaray in Istanbul on Wednesday, leaving the Turkish club bottom of Group D in the UEFA Champions League with just one point and minus seven goal difference.
But while Galatasaray's coach Prandelli was disappointed with the defeat, he maintained his main goal of the 2014-15 season is to help the club win their 20th Turkish Super Lig title - effectively conceding his team are not at the same level as Group D rivals Dortmund and Arsenal.
Galatasaray sit second in the Super Lig standings, one point behind Besiktas after six rounds.
"We shouldn't be demoralised," the Italian said.
"Our aim is to win the 20th title in the history of the club. We'll be working for this.
"We're up against big teams in the UEFA Champions League. The club we played today was one of the teams feeding world champions Germany. We should continue working without ever giving up."
Captain Inan agreed, although he added that losing in any competition would not help them achieve their goals.
"We are trying to implement a system to fit our players, to fit our team, and sometimes it fails as we saw tonight," he said.
"Of course we will get over that. As I said, it is not easy to play in the Champions League.
"Our main target is the domestic title this year but such defeats will have a negative effect on confidence."
Inan insists, however, that Galatasaray could still advance to the knockout stages of the Champions League despite losing to Arsenal and Dortmund in successive matchdays.
"Two years ago we had one point after three matchdays but went on to finish in second spot and eventually reach the quarter-finals. We can repeat that," the 29-year-old midfielder said.
"If there is the slightest hope, we will pursue it. But as I said, we need to learn from the mistakes we made. We should not repeat them over and over again."
news_articleThu, 23 Oct 2014 01:17:12 +0000273352 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comPrandelli is not a real man, says BalotelliMario Balotelli slammed former coach Cesare Prandelli, who was critical of the Italy striker following the World Cup.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/prandelli-not-real-man-says-balotelli
The 57-year-old - now in charge of Turkish giants Galatasaray - was outspoken following his resignation, claiming the Liverpool frontman 'lives in a dimension that is far away from reality'.
Balotelli, who has not featured for Antonio Conte's Italy since scoring once at the World Cup, did not hold back in his assessment of Prandelli's comments in an interview with UK radio station talkSPORT.
The 24-year-old also understands the reasoning behind Conte overlooking him for the national team, having not scored a Premier League goal since swapping Milan for Liverpool during the transfer window in September.
"I understand why I am not in the squad," he said. "I haven't been scoring, but other players like [Graziano] Pelle and the other strikers have been.
"So they deserve to be there, but I love Italy and nobody can ever say anything about my national team.
"I will always love it, but I have to be honest and say I was disappointed at what people were saying and how they were blaming me after the World Cup.
"I think I had two, maybe three chances in all the tournament. Everyone knows I scored against England, but I couldn't do much else.
"Even Cesare Prandelli [Italy's coach in Brazil] has said bad stuff about me.
"Should he be going and talking to the newspapers about me straight after a game? I did not expect that and I did not reply, because there is no point.
"I think real men, if they have something to say, then they come to you and say it to your face. I am a face-to-face person, a straight person."
Balotelli was far more upbeat in his praise for Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers, who brought the Italian to Anfield.
"He is very good, a strong character," said Balotelli. "And I think that comes out in the way the team plays.
"I think he can help me improve as a player. He is very open, everybody can talk to him -but first he looks at the person, and second he looks at the footballer.
"With Brendan, you need to be a good person -you don't have to be, how do you say it, a d*******."
news_articleFri, 17 Oct 2014 00:17:00 +0000269522 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comPrandelli defiant over tactics despite lossGalatasaray coach Cesare Prandelli rejected suggestions his tactical approach was to blame for the 4-1 Champions League loss to Arsenal.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/prandelli-defiant-over-tactics-despite-loss
Prandelli, who had captain Selcuk Inan withdraw late, sent his side out in a 3-5-2 formation that was torn to shreds by Arsenal's rampant attack before half-time.
Danny Welbeck netted a double inside the first half-hour before Alexis Sanchez effectively ended the game as a contest in the 41st minute.
Welbeck completed his hat-trick and Galatasaray's misery seven minutes after half-time, meaning Wojciech Szczesny's red card for a professional foul on Burak Yilmaz - who converted the resultant 63rd-minute penalty - was never likely to have an impact on the result.
"We made some errors in one-on-one situations,"said Prandelli, who saw Burak snatch a last-gasp 1-1 draw at home to Anderlecht in Galatasaray's competition opener.
"There was nothing wrong with the tactics. We should have been more active. We always have to be ready to play more aggressively.
"Our first-half performance was negative. In the second half, there was a little tactical change and we started to play with more width. Thus, they felt comfortable. We'll gradually decide on our ideal formation."
Felipe Melo struggled at the heart of Galatasaray's back three and Prandelli - who inherited the squad from countryman Roberto Mancini in the close season -accepted his share of the blame for the Brazil international's torrid evening.
"We wanted to put quality and aggression in that position, therefore I opted to field Felipe Melo as a centre-back," he said.
"I take all the responsibility for this. We're trying to settle into a new system."
news_articleWed, 01 Oct 2014 22:22:50 +0000261962 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comPrandelli urges daring approach at ArsenalGalatasaray coach Cesare Prandelli has urged his side to be brave in their UEFA Champions League clash at Arsenal on Wednesday.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/prandelli-urges-daring-approach
The stakes will be high for Arsenal in the Group F match, given their 2-0 loss at Borussia Dortmund on matchday one.
Galatasaray fared slightly better, drawing 1-1 with Anderlecht, but would be expected to sit back at Arsenal.
Prandelli does not want his side to do that, though, and while he concedes Arsenal are likely to control possession, he wants the Turkish Super Lig outfit to attack their opponents.
"We believe that we have to be brave," Prandelli said.
"I believe we don't know what we can actually achieve. We can improve from today onwards.
"In our first match [against Anderlecht], we played very well. We played aggressively. Wednesday will be a different game.
"We are playing against a quality, experienced team at their ground. They will try to come into our half and hold the possession. We will try to play our own game."
news_articleWed, 01 Oct 2014 05:00:20 +0000261572 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comWhy Prandellis work-in-progress Galatasaray are there for Arsenals takingFourFourTwo Turkeys Recep Ozerintells you everything you need to know about Galatasaray, Arsenals second Champions League opponents of the season...Recep Özerinhttp://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/why-prandellis-work-progress-galatasaray-are-there-arsenals-taking
Who are they?
After winning two consecutive league titles, the 'cold war' between president Unal Aysal and manager Fatih Terim resulted in the latter’s sacking in September 2013.
More pertinently, it forced the fans to see their fiercest rivals Fenerbahce go on to win the league easily last season. However, with the Yellow Canaries banned from all European tournaments, second-placed Galatasaray went directly to the Champions League group stage.
Their performance in the opening game against Anderlecht wasn't exactly satisfying, but a late equaliser from Burak Yılmaz helped fans see the glass half full. After Arsenal’s 2-0 defeat to Borussia Dortmund at Signal Iduna Park, Yılmaz's goal means the Lions go into this game a point ahead of Arsene Wenger’s men.
But a slow start in both the league and Europe has already put pressure on new manager Cesare Prandelli. Thankfully for the Turkish side, their Italian coach has enough experience to overcome these challenges, and what better way to prove it than beating Arsenal at Emirates?
The manager
When previous manager Roberto Mancini decided to leave his post, president Aysal stated that Galatasaray were looking for a coach who preferred the German or Dutch style.
Needless to say, the appointment of Prandelli was surprising. The Italian endured an unsuccessful World Cup after failing to guide Italy past the group stage, but the 57-year-old will be expected to achieve more with a Yellow-Reds side that finished nine points behind champions Fenerbahce under Mancini. Thus, putting another Italian manager in the driver’s seat seemed a little odd at first.
His protracted two-year stint with Galatasaray is his first venture outside of Italy, and this has already caused some adaptation problems. On a technical level, he took over a squad with several unfamiliar faces, and most important of all, lost Didier Drogba.
His start has hardly made the fans happy – Galatasaray have picked upseven points from four league games and drew at home with Anderlecht –but they appear willing to give him time. Certainly, from his attire in the last home game against Sivasspor (bearded, with raincoat and red cap), we can say he’s ignored his Italian roots and started to prefer more of a Turkish look.
Key player
Wesley Sneijder returned from national team duty and joined the pre-season camp later than any other player in the squad, but Prandelli didn’t waste much time using him in the friendlies.
Clearly, the Dutchman is seen as a hugely important part of the team. The playmaker scored 12 goals and provided seven assists last season, which helped the Lions secure second place and beat off the likes of Juventus in last season's Champions League.
Despite Prandelli showing a high level of attention for Sneijder, he hasn't yet found the perfect position for the Dutch star so far and this has affected the 30-year-old midfielder’s performances. If Galatasaray are to do well against Arsenal, they'll need Sneijder in a position he's comfortable with.
The gameplan
It’s almost impossible to state a specific plan about Galatasaray this season, because Prandelli has used so many different systems (4-2-3-1, 4-4-2, 4-3-3 and recently 3-5-2).
Still, the Italian's main objectiveis to control the game, slow down the tempo, hold possession and create scoring chances by using his star players’ (namely Sneijder, Yılmaz and GoranPandev) abilities up front.
The first problem Prandelli has attempted to address is in defence; he enforced a three-man structure in the last league game, deploying midfielder Felipe Melo at the centre of the backline.
While this helped them solidify defensively, they seemed rather weak in midfield; Turkish national star Selcuk Inan hasn’t exactly been in his best form recently (the fans booed him in the last couple of games).
Melo’s position at the Emirates will affect Galatasaray’s gameplan on Wednesday night. Against a midfield with as much technical ability as Arsenal’s, Prandelli may consider using the Brazilian in the engine room to benefit from his aggressiveness.
Strengths
Galatasaray have a strong squad with great experience at international level. This is their third consecutive season in the Champions League, after reaching the quarter-finals in 2012/13 and the last 16 in 2013/14.
In addition to Fernando Muslera, Aurelien Chedjou, Melo and Sneijder, they signed two experienced players (Blerim Dzemaili and Pandev) who can help them improve on past performances.
That's not to mention the atmosphere at the Turk Telekom Arena (although it won't apply here, of course) –Galatasaray fans are best known for their choreography before Champions League games.
Weaknesses
New boss Prandelli has spent his first weeks trying so many different players in as many positions, and this has made it hard for the team to find a rhythm. Because of the foreign player rule in the Turkish League, he has struggled to find a solid and constant starting XI so far. Napoli arrival Pandev, meanwhile, is aiming to replace the powerful Drogba, who went back to his old club Chelsea after failing to sign a new contract with the Turks.
Stadium
Galatasaray are well known for their previous stadium (Ali Sami Yen) across Europe; most English fans remember the famous “Wellcome to Hell” sign from the draw against Manchester United in 1993/94. They've been playing at the Turk Telekom Arena since 2011, and even though it's only been three-and-a-half years, this modern stadium has already become one of the most vibrant shrines in football. Arsenal fans will doubtlessly see some impressive choreography before their clash in December.
Did you know?
Galatasaray is the only Turkish football club in history to have won a European trophy. In 2000, they beat Arsenal in the UEFA Cup final on penalties after a goalless 120 minutes in Copenhagen. The goalkeeper from that night, Claudio Taffarel, is now one of the coaches and has been working for Galatasaray since 2011. This is the Brazilian’s second spell at the Turkish club, after a short period in the 2004/05 season.
Arsenal vs Galatasaray LIVE ANALYSIS with Stats Zone
featureTue, 30 Sep 2014 23:01:00 +0000Joe Brewin261251 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comGalatasarays fighting spirit delights PrandelliGalatasaray coach Cesare Prandelli hailed his side's spirit after they snatched a last-gasp 1-1 UEFA Champions League draw with Anderlecht.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/galatasarays-fighting-spirit-delights-prandelli
Besnik Hasis Belgians produced a fine display and looked destined to steal the pointswhen Dennis Praet netted in the 52nd minute of Tuesdays encounter.
Aleksandar Mitrovic should have made sure of the victoryjust a fewmoments after the opener buthe somehow missed the target when one-on-one with Fernando Muslera, and Galatasaray made them pay.
Aurelien Chedjou did brilliantly down the left flank as he raced into the penalty area and cut a pass back to Burak Yilmaz, who smashed home the equaliser.
The result still leaves Galatasaray playing catch up on Group D rivals Borussia Dortmund - who beat Arsenal -but Prandelli accepted that it could have been muchworse.
It was a difficult game, but we believed until the end of the match, the Italian told reporters.
We worked against a young team and we fought until the end. Their goal broke our spirits, but we didnt give up.
After the match I congratulated my players one by one in the locker room, but we need to be more organised and faster.
In this group there are strong teams, but we have a chance if we continue fighting.
news_articleTue, 16 Sep 2014 22:35:52 +0000253273 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comPrandelli calls on fans to voice their backingCesare Prandelli has called on Galatasaray's fans to get behind the team in the UEFA Champions League opener with Anderlecht on Tuesday.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/prandelli-calls-fans-voice-their-backing
After departing his post as Italy head coach following their disappointing World Cup group-stage exit, Prandelli took over from compatriot Roberto Mancini, tasked with regaining the Turkish Super Lig title from fierce rivals Fenerbahce.
Prandelli will also be keen to prove his credentials in Europe, although Galatasaray have been dealt a tough draw, with Arsenal and 2012-13 runners-up Borussia Dortmund also placed in Group D.
A strong start to the group phaseis therefore essential for Galatasaray, who reached the second round last season before being knocked out by Chelsea, and Prandelli wants the vociferous home faithful to add their usual fervent support on Tuesday.
We might fall behind during the game, he said.Our fans should always be backing us as we are stronger with them.
Well try to get three points with the help of our fans.
Belgian champions Anderlecht have been touted as the outsiders of the group, but Prandelliis refusing to take Besnik Hasis menlightly.
Lets not call Anderlecht the weakest team in the group, he said.Lets say the youngest.
Just because they have played more matches than us [in their domestic league], we wont have any fear of them.
Well play against an organised, very young and interesting team. They will be ambitious to impress. Therefore we need to be careful.
The visitors are seven games into the BelgianPro League season and sit top of the table, still unbeaten, while Galatasaray have taken four points from two Turkish Super Lig matches to also occupy the summit.
news_articleMon, 15 Sep 2014 16:05:56 +0000252399 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comPrandelli sends best wishes to successor ConteFormer Italy coach Cesare Prandelli has sent his best wishes to successor Antonio Conte.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/prandelli-sends-best-wishes-conte
Conte took the national job after leaving Juventus last month andis set to be presented as the new man to lead Italyon Tuesday after winning three consecutive Serie A titles in Turin.
The 45-year-old surprisingly resignedfrom his Juventuspost last month, butwas confirmed as Prandelli's replacement on Thursday, signing a contract that will keep him in charge of Italy until July2016.
And Prandelli - now at Galatasaray -offered Conte some words of encouragement.
"I send my best wishes to Conte and I hope he gets the best results for the most important team in Italy, the Nazionale,"heis quoted as saying by Tuttosport.
"Antonio Conte begins his challenge [on Tuesday]. As his predecessor, I wish him and his staff luck in their work, and hope they get the best results on the pitch."
news_articleTue, 19 Aug 2014 07:43:18 +0000234285 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comDiamanti slams Prandelli over World Cup snubAlessandro Diamanti hit out at former Italy coach Cesare Prandelli on Monday as he defended his decision to move to the Chinese Super League.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/diamanti-slams-prandelli-over-world-cup-snub
Diamanti signed for Guangzhou Evergrande in February and, despite having scored five goals in 23 games for the Chinese club, the 31-year-old has not played for Italy since.
The former Bologna attacking midfielder was part of Prandelli's squads for Euro 2012 and the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup but missed out on a spot at this year's World Cup in Brazil, with many pundits claiming it was due to Diamanti's decision to play in China.
But in the lead-up to Wednesday's AFC Champions League quarter-final first leg against Western Sydney Wanderers, Diamanti defended his choice and claimed he would do it again even if Prandelli had expressly warned him it would jeopardise his international career.
Prandelli resigned as Italy manager after the European nation failed to get out of the group stage in Brazil.
"If he [Prandelli] thought that I missed the World Cup simply because I play in China, I didn't care," he told FIFA.com.
"I think I am lucky as I have made the right decision [in coming to China]. Had I been asked to again determine where to go, I would still choose China."
Diamanti insists the Chinese Super League (CSL) is not an easy competition.
"Every match is highly contested. It is not easy to play against the tough opposition and win matches," he said.
"As a player, you have to keep fit and maintain form if you want to get a good result. You should work very hard."
Diamanti is part of a significant Italian influence at China's richest club with Evergrande led by Italy's 2006 World Cup-winning coach Marcelo Lippi, while it is also home to Alberto Gilardino, who moved to Guangzhou in July.
After just six months with Evergrande, Diamanti is already thinking about extending his contract.
Evergrande have won the past three CSL titles and triumphed in the 2013 AFC Champions League.
They will continue their defence of their continental title on Wednesday when they travel to Australia to play the Wanderers, before hosting the A-League club in Guangzhou on August 27.
Diamanti made his Evergrande debut in the same competition in February, scoring twice in a 4-2 come-from-behind win over another A-League club - Melbourne Victory.
"It was an amazing debut performance for me, it started my adventure in China in style," he said.
"So far everything has been good here and I am hoping to prolong my Chinese journey. I hope that I can step up a gear and play better for the rest of this season.
news_articleMon, 18 Aug 2014 03:34:48 +0000233503 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comRossi dwells on Italy World Cup snubFiorentina striker Giuseppe Rossi said he is not over being left out of Italys World Cup squad.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/rossi-dwells-italy-snub
Coach Cesare Prandelli bypassed the 27-year-old forward for the Italian squad to take to Brazil, where they bowed out in the group stages.
Rossi was tied for seventh in the Serie A's golden boot race in 2013-14 with 16 goals, behind Torino's Ciro Immobile (22), even though he missed a large chunk of the season with an ACL injury in his right knee that required surgery.
And the former Villarreal striker said he was still aggrieved at missing out on national selection.
"Not going to the World Cup was frustrating. I had worked so hard to be there," Rossi told ESPN.
"Things did not go the way I expected to but then football doesn't always give you joy."
Rossi said the departure of Immobile to the Bundesliga barely made the task of winning the Italian golden boot easier.
"Last season Ciro Immobile won the Capocannoniere title and he has gone to Borussia Dortmund, so I think I'll be fighting for that award with Carlos Tevez, Gonzalo Higuain and Luca Toni," he said.
Rossi hailed coach Vincenzo Montella and team-mate Gonzalo Rodriguez, the latter signing a contract extension until 2017 in July.
"Vincenzo Montella is a great coach, we all respect him and follow his indications because he understands the needs of us players, having retired not long ago," Rossi said.
"Gonzalo Rodriguez is a leader on the field, a player who is very important for the squad."
news_articleWed, 06 Aug 2014 04:27:47 +0000225565 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comYear Zero: Italians just want a new coach, not new methods after dismal World CupThey crashed out alongside England at the World Cup, but Italians arent desperate to do a Germany, writes Adam Digby...Adam Digbyhttp://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/year-zero-italians-just-want-new-coach-not-new-methods-after-dismal-world-cup
On June 6, the Italian national team arrived at Rome’s Fiumicino airport with an Alitalia flight bound for Rio de Janeiro awaiting a team who genuinely believed they could win the World Cup.
They were seen as a buoyant squad playing entertaining, high-quality football under Cesare Prandelli, a coach who had won a vast number of admirers for his work with the Azzurri over the previous four years.
The former Fiorentina boss impressed following a disastrous defence of their crown in South Africa, Marcello Lippi’s glorious triumph in Germany tarnished by a tournament display among the worst in the nation's history. He guided them to a runners-up spot at Euro 2012 while using the team as a beacon for good across the peninsula.
But what happened as the team boarded their plane that Friday was a perfect metaphor for what would happen to the Azzurri by the time Group D had concluded a few weeks later. The business class section was too small, so several members of the squad were forced to sit in economy class for the duration of the journey. As the games against England, Costa Rica and Uruguay would prove, many of the names chosen by Prandelli were simply not of the quality required.
Premature
While the ability of players like Daniele De Rossi and Andrea Pirlo cannot be questioned, there is no denying that standards have slipped for the Azzurri, with far too many average players invited to represent their country before they have proven capable. “After three good performances a player gets into the squad and takes everything for granted,” lamented Gigi Buffon after Italy were eliminated. Soon after, the coach decided he would not continue to lead the team.
There was no soul-searching or cries for complete overhaul, as Prandelli announced his resignation immediately after Italy's final game against Uruguay. While he had made good on his promise to make the Azzurri likeable, he also made too many errors and believed his “technical project had failed”.
While some of the players were sub-par, it is difficult to argue with that assessment: his tinkering and squad choices hampered the side even before a ball was kicked. The decision to select Antonio Cassano backfired, as did his overreliance on Mario Balotelli, while the omission of Giuseppe Rossi left the attack blunt in crucial moments. During the tournament he compounded those errors, breaking up the Matteo Darmian-Antonio Candreva partnership and dropping Marco Verratti, despite seeing the trio carve England open on numerous occasions.
FIGC president Giancarlo Abate followed Prandelli in quitting, with former Milan midfielder Demetrio Albertini among those standing to replace him. Even if the 42-year-old wins out over favourite Carlo Tavecchio – currently serving as president of the National Amateur League – in the August 11 election, widespread changes are not expected.
“To be president is going to require a gear change from myself, but I believe I can do it,” declared Albertini. “We need to change things, we need to focus on improving young players. We don’t need to copy the German model, but we can learn from their example.”
You'll win nothing with kids
Prandelli’s work during his tenure was respected; ultimately, he made the national team a source of pride. Yet despite introducing a possession-based formula which suited his players' strengths, he crumbled under the pressure that came with a tournament as prestigious as the World Cup.
His predecessor’s error was to stick with the players who had helped him deliver the ultimate triumph in 2006, long after their best. Prandelli went the opposite way, bringing in too many untested names on the eve of his biggest assessment.
Problems with decrepit stadiums, violent and racist ultra groups and a lack of foreign investment hamper Italian football, but there is no search for a quick fix or a demand to copy the work done by the most in-vogue nation of the day, Germany.
The Azzurri were labelled a “shambles” by La Gazzetta dello Sport, but the common consensus seems to be that a new coach can rectify the problem just as Prandelli did four years ago.
SEE ALSO IN YEAR ZERO
How Germany restructured itself – and why it couldn't work elsewhere
Brazil may want to copy trendy European models, but they can't afford to
Spain need pruning, not root-and-branch reform
Ronaldo keeping Portugal afloat for now, but big trouble lies ahead
Klinsmann given time to work quietly as 'soccer' returns to middle pages
featureThu, 24 Jul 2014 09:00:00 +0000Joe Brewin217232 at http://www.fourfourtwo.com